Just Friends
by canarian
Summary: Did you hear? Kurt and Blaine are just friends. A series of reaction ficlets to 4x14 "I Do."
1. The One with Condoms and Lube

**The One with Condoms and Lube**

**Summary: **Finn gets a lesson in gay sex. Reaction to 4x14, "I Do."

* * *

"I don't get it," Finn says, looking more than his normal level of confused.

"How they get bubbles in pop?" Sam asks. "I've never been able to figure that out either, dude. Just go with it." He takes a long, loud slurp of his Coke.

"I think they use magic," Brittany says. "You know like the way Keebler elves make cookies."

Sam smiles at her and leans in to kiss Brittany on the tip of her nose.

Most of the New Directions alums, plus Sam, Brittany, Tina and Artie are sitting around an empty table catching up with each other in between dances. Kurt and Blaine, however, haven't left the dance floor since their duet, and now they're giggling as they trade shimmies and smiles to some unidentifiable upbeat disco song. Finn's eyes find the ex couple and his expression becomes even more muddled.

"No, not that," Finn says. His eyes narrow as his brow furrows. He leans in toward the table and lowers his voice. "How can two dudes do it in a car?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asks, not understanding Finn's confusion.

"There's not enough room… for… things," he says. "This one time Rachel and I tried to do it in the back of her dads' Jetta and I kept bumping my head on the window."

"Well Blaine is kind of a little dude," Sam says.

"Dude," Puck says, waggling his eyebrows obscenely. "No. Hand jobs."

Mercedes giggles into her drink and says, "It just looked like some good old fashioned bumpin' and grindin' to me."

" 'Cause the plumbing's different," Brittany says, looking like it was common knowledge.

"Oh my _god_," Finn says. "Gross. That's my brother."

"Dude, you started the conversation," Puck says smugly as he shoves the last bite of a mini cupcake in his mouth.

"But I don't want to think about Kurt getting a– No, just no."

"You know not all gay guys have anal sex," Artie says, matter-of-factly.

"Gross." Finn sticks his fingers in his ears and lowers his eyes to the table, trying not to look at Kurt.

"Dude, you did _not_ just say anal," Puck says.

"No, it's true," Rachel confirms. "My dads told me it's actually pretty common for guys to stick to um… well..."

"Frottage?" Tina offers.

"That too," Rachel says, grinning down into her glass of club soda as she takes a sip.

"Oh my god!" Finn stands up. "I'm done with this conversation. You guys are disgusting." He throws his arms up in frustration and looks around at his friends, hoping someone will understand his plight. But all of them are either hiding their poorly contained giggles behind their hands or just outright laughing at him. He storms off to the bathroom.

While he's peeing, Finn decides he was kind of being an asshole. His friends were just trying to help him out and it's actually kind of reassuring in an odd way.

Just as he's finishing drying his hands, the door to the bathroom opens, a flushed and smiling Kurt breezing in.

"Hey," he says. "Having fun?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Me too," Kurt says, grinning even wider. Then his face softens a little. "It's sad about Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury, though."

"Totally," Finn says, unable to meet Kurt's eye.

"Finn, are you okay?" Kurt asks, his face scrunching up in confusion. "Is Rachel being a pain in the ass? I can give her a talking to."

"No, no… it's cool. I'm just…" Finn trails off. He takes a deep breath and finally meets Kurt's gaze. "You and Blaine are having fun."

Kurt glances around the room nervously and pulls at his hands a little. "Um, well, you know we're friends again and it's good to see him."

Finn smiles. He knows exactly how Kurt feels.

"Yeah, dude. I get it," he says with a sad smile. "I'm just happy for you. That's all."

"Thanks, Finn," Kurt says with a knowing smile. "You too."

"I was thinking about getting a room," he says. "You know, for me and Rachel. Maybe you and Blaine…."

"Um, well… I don't–"

"Dude, it's cool," Finn interrupts. "I know what happened before the wedding. You guys should have fun."

"Oh god, this is so embarrassing."

"How do you think I feel?" Finn says with a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm just happy to know that you and Blaine weren't doing it in the butt in the backseat of a car at the church."

Kurt's eyebrows shoot up. Finn knows that look. Shit.

"Well, um… Mercedes told us what happened, and well, I just assumed when she said sex she meant… " Finn trails off and leans in to whisper, "Well, you know."

Kurt's mouth drops open and he wavers for a moment like he might say something before Finn continues.

"Anyway, Rachel said not all guys do it that way, and I just never really thought about it that way and it's actually kinda c–"

"Oh my god, Finn, stop talking."

"Sorry."

Kurt turns to look in the mirror and fix his hair, but he freezes when he sees Finn's eyes locked on him.

"Was there something else?" Kurt asks, a single eyebrow raised.

"I'm just… really proud of you, little brother."

Kurt reels around to face Finn, but something about Finn's expression must stop him because instead of chastising, he crosses his arms and looks at Finn.

"Yes?" Kurt dares him to elaborate.

"Well, I never thought like… two dudes. You'd both really know what the other one likes and stuff and if you're like doing it in a car, well, you must be really comfortable with each other. And Rachel always wanted to do it with the lights off."

"She's still that way," Kurt says offhandedly.

Finn flinches at the thought of Rachel having sex with someone else. They're living together; he figured it was the case, but to hear it out loud? That kind of hurts.

"Oh, god Finn. Sorry," Kurt says, running a hand down Finn's arm.

"No, it's ok. I kind of figured." He looks down at his feet for a moment and then glances back up to Kurt, feeling more confident than before.

"Did you see she went for the bouquet?" Finn says.

"Yeah."

"I don't think she's as serious as she says she is about that Brody guy."

Kurt smiles sympathetically.

"For what it's worth," he says. "I'm kind of hoping it dies in a raging inferno… and soon."

They share a laugh before Finn pulls Kurt into a crushing hug.

"Thanks," he says. When he releases Kurt, he smiles and heads for the door.

"Oh, Finn," Kurt calls out just as Finn's hand closes on the handle, causing him to turn back. "I've got extra condoms if you need them."

Finn's eyes go wide. Does that mean…?

"And lube," Kurt adds.

"Oh my god."

Kurt's laughter rings out as Finn rushes out of the bathroom.

* * *

When Kurt returns from the bathroom, he finds Blaine and twirls him back onto the dance floor and relays his encounter with Finn.

"You should have seen his face, Blaine. It was priceless."

Blaine just stares at him for a moment. They've stopped moving in time with the music.

"Do you?" he asks.

"Do I what?"

"Have condoms and lube?" Blaine whispers.

Kurt just smiles and nods as Blaine works to stifle his giggle just as Finn and Rachel start their duet. The sweet, slow melody feels like a spell being cast over them.

"How about…" Kurt says, leaning in close and resting his hands on Blaine's shoulders. "We go upstairs?"

He can feel Blaine's hands splayed out across his back, pulling him closer.

"Sure," Blaine says, his breath hot and tickling Kurt's ear. "Just one more dance first."


	2. The One with the Boy Scouts

**The One with the Boy Scouts**

**Summary:** Kurt and Blaine go for round two. Reaction to 4x14 "I Do."

* * *

"I can't believe you gave the extra condoms to Finn and Artie." As Blaine talks, his hands work frantically to remove Kurt's shirt for the third time that day while he kisses him hungrily.

"I thought we were done after that first round," Kurt says, shrugging out of his jacket for a second time and trying to keep his lips on Blaine's. "It was just a small package I bought at the gas station on the way here."

Blaine's grin forces their kiss a little off center, and Kurt playfully nips at his bottom lip. "Kurt Hummel, did you plan this?"

"Well, after that makeout in your car — which, I might add, was rapidly approaching pornographic levels — I figured better safe than sorry," Kurt muses.

"Such a boy scout," Blaine says.

"Nah, they don't allow guys like me," he teases.

"Or me."

"Guess we'll have to find something else to occupy our time then."

"I can think of a few things," Blaine whispers into the skin next to Kurt's ear.

"Oh yeah," Kurt says, a moan escaping his lips when Blaine bites down on his earlobe. "Like what?"

"Like this," he says, trailing a hand down Kurt's body and into his unzipped pants. He presses the heel of his hand into Kurt's cock, earning another throaty moan for his efforts.

"I think I approve of your extracurricular activities," Kurt breathes.

"We should get rid of these," Blaine says, tugging at Kurt's shirt with his free hand. "So we don't have to do a full-on walk of shame."

"Thinking ahead, I see. Now who's the boy scout?"

"Just shut up and get undressed."

"Yes, sir," Kurt says, mocking a salute as he rises up on his knees to remove his shirt and pants, chucking them unceremoniously on the floor at the foot of the bed

Blaine rushes to do the same and tosses his clothes on a chair near the bed, not even noticing when they slide off the slick fabric of the chaise and onto the floor.

Kurt climbs back on top of Blaine — both of them still in their underwear, kissing whatever bare skin they can reach — and grinds his hips down to create friction between them. Blaine's breath catches at the contact and he nearly growls as his mouth finds Kurt's. "Do that again," he says, and Kurt thrusts down, a perfect push and pull of cotton-covered bliss. Blaine throws his head back onto the pillows and groans. He can't believe after one of the best orgasms of his life, he's back here again pressed into the mattress beneath Kurt's perfect body, halfway to another mind-blowing climax.

Blaine knows what Kurt's doing; he's taking control and proving he knows Blaine's body better than he knows it himself. But two can play that game. He reaches back and grabs Kurt's hair at the nape of his neck. It's shorter than the last time they did this, but it's still enough to get a handful. Blaine sits up and presses a kiss to the hollow of Kurt's neck as he tugs, leaving Kurt's long, perfect neck exposed and bare. Blaine takes his time licking a long stripe all the way to Kurt's ear, nipping and sucking as he goes.

Kurt sighs and moans almost simultaneously, knowing Blaine is teasing, tantalizing and loving every minute of it. It's their dance and it fits like a glove even after all this time.

"You taste so good, Kurt," Blaine says, the sound muffled by Kurt's skin. "I really just can't get enough." He hums the song into Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt giggles, unabashed, lighthearted. Blaine's penchant for cheesy romance has always made his heart soar. It's reassuring to know some things never change. That they can alternate between sexy and silly and back again without missing a beat.

"Do you want me to blow you?" Kurt asks, voice breathy and low like it always gets when he's turned on. His hips not missing a beat as he kisses down Blaine's neck and chest, biting little marks along his muscles that he soothes with his tongue. For a second he remembers Tina's words, but there's nothing "tiny" about Blaine's muscles, not to Kurt. He's perfect. This is perfect.

"Yes," Blaine says, panting, "but really I don't think I'll make it. This feels too good. And I want you to come… with me."

At that Kurt moans, thrusting down harder than before and digging his hips in before dragging back up. The head of his cock makes direct contact with Blaine's and there's a brief catch and a harsh tug of fabric, but the discomfort is negated by the overwhelming pleasure of it. He understands Blaine's need because he wants to see Blaine's face too. The way he closes his eyes and his mouth drops open as everything tenses and he calls out Kurt's name.

Blaine can feel his orgasm building rapidly so he grips Kurt tighter, capturing his mouth between his own lips and seeking out Kurt's tongue to taste it again.

"God, the way you kiss me," Kurt gasps. "I think I could get off on just that."

"Me too," Blaine says, grabbing Kurt by the back of the neck and holding him in place so they can kiss and kiss and kiss until they're breathing each other's air.

"See? We didn't even need the condoms," Kurt says between kisses.

Blaine huffs out a breathy laugh. "No, but you're about to wish you'd brought a change of underwear."

"Just shut up and kiss me," Kurt says, leaning in and doing it for him.

His hips are rolling in a steady rhythm now and Kurt can tell from the way Blaine's breath is coming out shorter and more rapid that he's getting close. They both are. He wants to drag it out; who knows when he'll have sex again, let alone with Blaine, but it's too much. The perfect friction and the little grunts and moans Blaine is making with each thrust. Kurt can't stop or slow down now. It's too much.

He reaches down to tweak one of Blaine's nipples in a way that he knows drives him crazy, and Blaine arches up off the bed to meet Kurt on his next thrust and Kurt feels like he might black out from the pure ecstasy rushing through his body. He can feel the familiar tug of orgasm building as his balls draw up tight.

"Oh god, I think I'm gonna– Blaine!"

Kurt's back arches as he throws his head back, gasping out Blaine's name like a mantra. He continues to drive Blaine into the mattress as he rides out his orgasm, looking down at Blaine in pure adoration as his ex boyfriend chases his own climax.

"You're so fucking gorgeous when you come, Kurt." Blaine arches up and then drops his head to the pillow as Kurt lowers himself to kiss at Blaine's neck and chest.

"I need you to come for me, baby. I want to see you," Kurt says, the vibrations tickling Blaine's chest as he shifts to move his thigh between Blaine's legs so there's less friction on his now-oversensitive cock.

"I'm so close," he says. "Just don't stop. Please don't stop."

He gasps and thrusts up into Kurt's thigh.

"I'm not," he says. "I want you to come. I need to see it. Come for me, Blaine."

At his words, Blaine tenses, the tendons in his neck straining as he comes, shivering through it. Kurt looks down to see the wet spot now visible on Blaine's gray briefs. It's one of the hottest things he's ever seen.

"I think you just earned a merit badge for that one," Blaine says when he finally relaxes. He's still panting and hasn't opened his eyes; he looks spent.

"I don't think they give out merit badges for sex, Blaine." Kurt presses a chaste kiss to his collar bone.

"But if they did…"

"I think we'd both be shoe-ins, yes."

Kurt laughs and rolls off of him, reaching for the tissues on the night stand. Kurt finishes wiping away what come hasn't soaked into his briefs and reaches for another tissue. Just as Kurt's handing it to Blaine, he hears him start humming. At first Kurt can't make it out, it's nondescript and happy, but when Kurt realizes what it is, he sits up and starts putting his clothes back on, dropping the tissue on the bed.

"What?"

"That song," Kurt replies. "Low blow."

"What song?" Blaine asks, looking at Kurt in confusion. Suddenly his mouth drops open. "Oh."

Kurt doesn't wait for an explanation, he grabs his balled up pants and shirt from the floor and hurries to put them back on.

"Kurt, I didn't mean anything by it. It just slipped out."

His movements still and he looks down at Blaine on the bed, the sheet twisted a little around his legs as he leans on his left elbow and stares up at Kurt, eyes regretful and sad.

Kurt wants to kiss that look off his face, and it's that thought, more than anything, that keeps him rooted to the spot. He won't kiss him, but he can't just leave. He puts his hands on his hips, mostly to hold up his still unfastened pants. Blaine's eyes flicker down to his waist and back up, meeting Kurt's eyes with a lustful and slightly hopeful gaze.

"It's just that whenever I hear that song I think of you, and how much I love being with you. It's our song," Blaine says.

"Not anymore."

Blaine falls back onto the bed. "I know. I just–"

Kurt sighs and sits down on the bed, his hand reaching for Blaine's automatically.

"It's fine. I just don't particularly have fond memories of it anymore."

"I know."

Kurt releases Blaine's hand and reaches up to cup his cheek as he leans down to press a soft kiss to his lips.

"I'm gonna go, okay?" he says.

Blaine nods slowly but doesn't open his eyes.

"Stay as long as you want. The room's paid for. I'm heading back to my dad's and I'll see you tomorrow?"

Blaine opens his eyes, looking up hopefully at Kurt.

"Coffee?"

"Anything you want," he says, stroking Blaine's cheek. "I'll call you."

Kurt stands to finish buttoning his shirt and turns back to Blaine as he shrugs on his jacket, checking to make sure his bowtie is in his pocket.

"You're still my best friend," he says, smiling wistfully at Blaine. And then he's gone.

"And your soul mate," Blaine says as the door closes behind him.


	3. The One with the Romance

**The One with the Romance  
**

**Summary: **_Adam and Kurt go to the movies. Reaction to 4x15: Girls (and Boys) on Film_

* * *

"Why don't we just do this another time?" Kurt says, looking up at the marquee in front of the theater.

"Oh don't be silly," Adam says. "I said I'd take you to a movie, and I intend to make good on that promise."

Kurt smiles at that. Adam really is a nice guy and he's pretty good looking —and, well, those _arms_. Kurt really sees no reason not to date him.

"So what's it gonna be?" Adam asks.

Kurt glances back up at the board, hoping he can find something that won't make his mind wander back to Blaine. Because he and Blaine are just friends, and it's not appropriate for him to be fantasizing about his ex boyfriend while on a date with another guy.

There isn't much of a selection, though, and Kurt has seen most of the movies currently playing. Still, at least nothing is reminding him of dapper bowties and raspberry-scented hair gel. So there's that.

But the biggest problem with Adam's idea for them to find their own romantic movie is there are absolutely no romantic movies playing right now. So it's a choice between _A Good Day to Die Hard_ and _Oz the Great and Powerful_. Rachel will murder him if he sees Oz without her; it's kind of their thing.

"Die Hard… I guess?" Kurt says, his words coming out more like a question than a definitive statement.

Adam's face falls a little, but he quickly recovers. He steps up to the window and says, "The handsome gentleman behind me wants to see things blow up. Two for Die Hard, please."

Kurt hopes the explosions will drown out the memory of Blaine singing Come What May to him in his bedroom last spring after his NYADA rejection letter came. Kurt can almost feel the gentle comfort of Blaine wrapping his arms around him and singing softly in Kurt's ear, as his nose gently brushed against Kurt's hair while Kurt cried.

Instead he falls asleep about halfway through the movie and dreams of Blaine rescuing him from a burning building. He carries him out through the flames and they go home to Kurt's Bushwick loft and make love. They leave Adam trapped in the fire, waiting patiently to be rescued and telling Kurt to go on ahead without him.

"Kurt…" Adam nudges Kurt's shoulder. "Kurt, the movie's over."

Kurt bolts upright in his seat, wiping his mouth and hoping he's not drooling on himself.

"Sorry," he says. "I, uh… guess I fell asleep."

"It's okay," Adam says, rubbing Kurt's arm gently. "It was pretty rubbish anyway. You didn't miss much."

Kurt gives him a halfhearted smile and says, "Maybe we should try this again, when there's something better playing."

"Sure thing," Adam says, beaming. He stands up and holds out his hand for Kurt to take.

* * *

That night, after Adam has gone home and Santana, Rachel and Brody have long since gone quiet, Kurt takes out his phone and texts Blaine.

Kurt  
How did the annual boys vs. girls mash-off go?

Blaine  
We won :)

Kurt  
Congratulations!

Blaine  
Well… everyone did. You know Mr. Schue… everybody wins. (insert eye roll here)

Kurt  
Sounds about right. He never would let me perform with the girls… which is probably a good thing. We would have won every time. ;)

Blaine  
He's loosening up a bit. Unique performed with the girls. They did the sparkling diamonds mashup from Moulin Rouge.

Kurt  
That's a coincidence…. we watched Moulin Rouge while we were snowed in. Santana wasn't happy.

Blaine  
I can imagine.

Kurt can't think of what else to say. Should he tell Blaine that he'd fantasized about them singing Come What May together? He lets his phone rest in his hand, growing hotter as the screen glows harshly in his dark room. He can see Blaine is typing out another message. So he waits.

Blaine  
So how was your day?

Kurt  
Adam and I saw Die Hard.

Blaine  
Voluntarily?

Kurt  
I fell asleep.

Blaine  
Sounds about right.

Kurt feels lighter talking to Blaine. Maybe he's not entirely over Blaine yet, but they're friends, and he's happy he can tell Blaine about his dates with Adam without any drama. He's pretty sure if Rachel tried to talk to Finn about Brody there would be screaming and crying and Kurt caught in the middle.

He sighs and runs his thumb over the warm face of his phone. He debates telling Blaine about how unsure he is about Adam. How he just isn't as interested in Adam as he is in Kurt, no matter how hard he tries. Because Adam's not Blaine.

But he won't say it. They're just friends and Kurt doesn't want to give him false hope.

Kurt  
Well I just wanted to check in. I'm going to crash… Goodnight.

Blaine  
Sweet dreams. :)

So it's really no surprise that Kurt has another dream about Blaine that night. It looks eerily like Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury's wedding, only there are two grooms and no one rushes out before the ceremony.

And just as Blaine enters from the back of the church the opening bars of Come What May begin to play.

Suddenly Kurt's eyes fly open as he realizes the now much-too-loud music is coming from inside the apartment. He stumbles, still half asleep, out of his bedroom area to find Santana on the couch, remote in hand, smiling smugly at him.

"Oh, did I wake you, Lady Hummel? Were you dreaming of something? Perhaps a little bowtied muffin-butt of an ex-boyfriend whose name you were just mumbling in your sleep."

"You really are Satan, you know that?" Kurt grumbles. He turns on his heel and heads back to bed, flinging himself on the rumpled sheets.

"Try not to moan too loudly when you whack off thinking about him," Santana calls. "I'm trying to watch a movie."

Kurt grabs his phone from the nightstand and types out a text: Tell me it's not worth the jail time to murder Santana in her sleep.

Blaine  
You could always claim it was Rachel practicing for an audition for Chicago.

Kurt  
I love it when you talk catty.

Blaine  
;)


	4. The One with the Truth Bomb

**The One with the Truth Bomb**

**Summary: **_Santana's psychic Mexican third eye is really getting on Kurt's nerves. Reaction to 4x16: Feud_

* * *

"She keeps hounding me about Brody," Rachel says, slamming her mug down on the table, and Kurt watches as oolong tea sloshes precariously close to the edge. "And I'm pretty sure she used up the last of my conditioner. It costs $18 a bottle, Kurt!"

"It will pass," Kurt insists. "You know Santana; she has to stick her nose in someone else's business or she will spontaneously combust. And I could list all her past accomplishments for you, but we have class in 10 hours." He snickers into his coffee mug thinking of all the times Santana got up in their business back in high school when she had claimed to hate them.

If anyone had told a 16-year-old Kurt that he would one day live with both Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez, he would have had them committed for spouting such insanity.

"Kurt, I'm serious. She's a menace," Rachel says. "We need to have a serious talk with her when she gets home."

Kurt sighs and takes a sip of his tea. Rachel's right; Santana _is_ a menace, verbally assaulting them every second of the day, butting into their business, rummaging through their belongings — and all without paying a dime of rent. It's exhausting. And she'd almost ruined his chances with Adam. Thankfully Adam was undeterred and they'd gotten past it. Wait, is he thankful for that?

Kurt shakes his head to clear the thought. He likes Adam. He _does_.

But Santana had been right, of course. He _was_ thinking of Blaine while watching Moulin Rouge, but that didn't change the fact that it was inexcusable for Santana to out him in front of Adam like that. She had _no right_.

Confronting Santana, though. That could never end well.

"I don't know if we want to open that can of worms, Rachel."

"She's out of line, Kurt," Rachel says, whining a little and starting to sound a lot like a broken record. "And it's threatening my relationship with Brody. He hardly comes home anymore."

Kurt's eyebrows shoot up at that. "And you think it's because of her?"

"Yes!" Rachel declares, as if it's the most obvious thing she's ever said. "What else would it be?"

"I don't think it's Santana," Kurt says, pretty sure Santana's right that there is something shady going on with Brody, even though he won't say so right now. "And anyway, she's got nowhere else to go. We can't just kick her out."

"We should still have a family meeting about it," Rachel says, heading off toward her room, leaving her tea behind, along with an undecided Kurt.

Kurt sips his tea as he mulls over Rachel's concerns. Santana is definitely out of line, but she's got a point: Brody is a creep. On the other hand, he's Rachel's boyfriend, and he's paying rent. Kurt decides he'll have the meeting with Rachel and Santana, if that's what Rachel wants, but he's not taking sides. Not yet.

* * *

"You're in denial, Prancy Smurf."

"Lay off it, Santana."

"I'm just saying, if you've still got his picture tucked away in your dresser, you're still in love with him."

"I told you. We're just friends," Kurt insists, for what feels like the millionth time. "I'm allowed to have photos of my friends."

"Not in your underwear drawer — and I'm going to ignore that you have more than one pair with little black birds on them. And the thong? That's just plain weird."

He tries to hide his reaction to that. The blackbird underwear had been a private joke between him and Blaine, and he's really not keen on explaining that to Santana right now, and there's no need to give her more ammunition. "You're still friends with _Brittany_," Kurt says, knowing full well that he might be about to unleash the seventh circle of hell on himself.

"Yeah, and it's confusing as hell," she says, matter-of-factly. Her face softens at that. "You can't hide from me, Kurt. I've been there."

"_You_ slept with Quinn."

"Doesn't mean I didn't want it to be Brit."

"And sleeping with Blaine doesn't mean I'm still in love with him."

"But it does mean you're being unfair to Adam."

"That is entirely beside the point," Kurt says.

"It's no different than Rachel sneaking around with Gigantor behind Fabio's back at Mr. Schue's wedding."

"It's completely different!" Kurt shouts. He's not even in a relationship with Adam. Or at least he doesn't think he is.

"Why?" Santana says, smirking. "Because you still love him?" Her eyes narrow, and Kurt wants to smack the smug look right off her face. "See, the problem here is you know I'm right, and I think it's pissing you off."

"You have _no _idea what you're talking about," Kurt says, throwing his arms up in exasperation. He's nearly simmering over with barely contained rage, and he just wants her to shut the fuck up. "Blaine and I are JUST FRIENDS!"

"Quack," Santana says, flapping her arms exaggeratedly and giving him her best "bitch, please" look. "Quack, quack, quack."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"What it means, Hummel, is if it walks like a duck and quacks like a fucking duck…"

"This conversation is over," Kurt says, storming off to his section of the loft and disappearing behind his partition.

"Quack," she calls out loud enough that it echoes on the brick walls.

"Shut up, Satan."

"Quack!"

"Mind your own business!"

Kurt flings himself down on his bed and starts to seriously consider Rachel's idea about giving Santana an ultimatum. Why can't they kick both Brody and Santana out? Things were much simpler when it was just him and Rachel — when there wasn't someone in his face every minute of the day reminding him of Blaine. Rachel understood. He didn't talk about Finn, and she didn't talk about Blaine, but Santana had lived with them for just under a month, and she missed no opportunity to bring up either.

Okay, so Brody is a little creepy, but him sitting naked on Kurt's furniture is nowhere near as annoying as Santana grilling him for an hour after she overheard him helping Blaine with his solo for glee. Just because they were singing together, it didn't mean anything. She is being ridiculous. Why can't Santana go back to being the snarky cheerleader who hated their duet of "Perfect" and called them stupid names? Why can't she just leave him alone?

* * *

That afternoon, when Rachel gets back from her vocal performance class, Kurt is waiting for her.

"Okay, you win," he says. "Santana is out of control."

Rachel's ear-piercing squeal and the subsequent full-body hug she engulfs him in, make Kurt question his decision almost immediately. But his regret lasts only for a moment, because he sees his fluffiest pillow lying on the couch, a smudge of bright red lipstick glaring at him from his brand new, 500-thread-count pillowcase, and he feels the rage bubble up again.

He's sick of her meddling; it's not fair. He'll just ignore the fact that Santana is absolutely right about everything. If she's not there, she can't keep reminding him that he's still in love with Blaine. Without Santana around, maybe he can keep up the careful façade he's spent months building up. Who cares if it's under the guise of her making Brody and Rachel uncomfortable? It's not his problem that she has nowhere else to go. She's the one who showed up in New York without a plan.

"Either she shapes up, or she ships out," Kurt says, face set in a determined scowl.

He's just not ready to face the truth yet.


	5. The One with Veronica and Bruce

**The One with Veronica and Bruce**

**Summary:** Santana and Kurt bake cookies; Blaine wonders about Brody. Reaction to 4x16 "Feud" and 4x17 "Guilty Pleasures."

* * *

"I don't understand it," Santana whines, pulling the cookie sheet from the oven. "They're harder than Trouty Mouth's abs. What am I doing wrong?"

Kurt looks up from the TV where he's mainlining yet another season of Golden Girls and sighs when he sees the smoke rising off the tray in Santana's oven-mitted hand.

"You've got the oven up too high and they're drying out," Kurt says. He tosses the remote on the couch and walks into their kitchen. He picks up one of the less blackened cookies from the cooling rack on the table and bites into it.

"Oh my god, Santana! What did you put in those?"

"Don't get up all in my grill, Betty Cocker. I followed your recipe."

Kurt's eyes quickly scan the ingredients scattered over the table and the countertop. When he sees the large canister of salt sitting on the counter next to the flour, he sighs.

"The sugar's in the blue one," he says, reaching up to get it off the top shelf. "Salt is in the green." He nods over his shoulder to the open container.

"Shit." Santana flops down in one of their kitchen chairs and throws the oven mitt on table. "I suck."

"Nah, beginners mistake," Kurt says, with a shrug. "You did better than Finn when I tried to show him how to use a box mix. There was an erupting volcano of cake batter lava all over our kitchen."

"Sounds about right for Dumbledork," she says.

"Want some help?" Kurt asks. She nods and smiles meekly at him — well, meekly for Santana — and Kurt can't help but return it. Something about her defeated expression over the failed cookies gives him pause. He's still feeling a little guilty for kicking Santana out the week before, so he's being friendlier than normal, even though Santana is still acting out at every opportunity.

"Why are you baking anyway?" Kurt asks, carefully measuring out enough sugar for a fresh batch. "I'd ask if you're trying to impress a guy, but well…"

"Hey girls like cookies too," Santana says pointing a spatula threateningly at him.

Kurt raises an eyebrow at her and she puts the utensil down.

"Her name is Veronica," she says. "She said she was homesick for her mom's oatmeal cookies. I was trying to be nice."

"Careful," Kurt says with a smirk. "You might sprain something."

"Shut up." Her eyes are narrowed, but her mouth quirks up like she's fighting back a smile. Kurt suspects she's warming up to him a bit. And it occurs to him that he's actually starting to enjoy having Santana around.

They work in silence for a bit, Kurt measuring out ingredients while Santana stirs. When the first batch is in the oven, Santana sighs heavily and sits down. "So I found out Brody's not a drug dealer," she says.

Kurt hums noncommittally as he starts cleaning up the mess they've made. "Well that's good then."

"Not exactly. He's a freakin' gigolo."

Kurt drops a spoon and the resulting clang echoes harshly through the loft.

Santana nods slowly. "I have to admit, I'm kind of impressed. I didn't think that David Boreanaz wannabe had it in him."

"Wait… what?" Kurt asks. He's having a bit of trouble absorbing this information.

"Rachel's boy toy is actually a boy toy," Santana says, using a crude hand gesture for emphasis. Kurt's not sure he wants to know what exactly she's trying to mimic.

"Oh my god," Kurt says.

"I know," Santana says. "I even called in Frankenteen to avenge her honor. Well, more like I need the muscle and I couldn't trust you to go all Lima Heights on his ass. Finn's a loose canon, and he's totally obsessed with the Hobbit."

"You called _Finn_ and you didn't tell me?" Kurt asks.

"Focus here, Hummel. Rachel's boyfriend is a dick for hire."

"Oh my _god_."

"Exactly."

"We can't tell her," Kurt says.

"What?"

"It would devastate her," he says. "We can't tell her. Promise me you won't tell her."

"Then what do I say when she asks why Finn is here?"

"Oh you can't tell her Finn is coming either."

"I think she's going to figure it out," Santana says. "He's kind of hard to miss."

Kurt looks thoughtful for a minute. That does pose a problem. Finn can't afford a hotel and Rachel would definitely want to know why he's in town. She may not even want to see him. "He can stay with Adam. I'll call him as soon as we're done here."

"You sure you want the brother staying with the new boyfriend?"

"He's not my–"

Santana holds up a hand in mock surrender. "Whatever you say," she says. "It's your life, lady."

The dish towel in Kurt's hand stills as he looks up. Santana is right; it's probably not a good idea have Finn and his big mouth anywhere near Adam.

"Maybe I can just tell Finn that I don't want Adam knowing about the wedding for Rachel's sake. He'll keep his mouth shut if he thinks he's protecting her."

He tries to ignore Santana's smug look as the timer dings on the cookies. Kurt pulls the sheet out of the oven and starts transferring them to the cooling rack. He swats at Santana's hand as she reaches for one of the warm cookies, but she dodges his maneuver and manages to snag one.

"You want to come with me tonight to see the ambush?" she asks around a mouthful of gooey oatmeal and cinnamon.

"As much as I appreciate your willingness to include me in everything — including a heinous view of your partially chewed food — I have plans."

Santana shrugs, picking at the cookie in her hand. "Suit yourself."

"Besides," Kurt says smirking at her. "I have to finish Veronica's cookies."

"That's my boy," Santana says, swatting him on the ass as she skips off.

"I'm not your boy," he yells after her.

"No, I think we both know whose boy you are," she calls out, slamming the bathroom door behind her. He opens his mouth to retort, but before he can speak, he hears the shower start up, ending the conversation.

* * *

"So do you think he's like… gay for pay?" Blaine asks solemnly after Kurt finishes filling him in on Brody's method for funding his NYADA education. Blaine had been shocked and concerned for Rachel, but now he sounds mostly curious about Brody's clients.

"Oh god I hope not," Kurt says.

"Yeah, but you said he's hot. Maybe you could–"

"Ew gross," Kurt interrupts. "I told you that was a moment of insanity I had when I first met him. It didn't even last as long as my crush on Sam."

"You had a crush on Sam?"

"A very brief, very superficial one, yes."

"Was it the lips?" Blaine asks, the earnestness clear even through a phone call.

"That and I thought he was gay."

The resulting squeak of Blaine's laughter makes Kurt's heart leap in an unexpected way.

"He highlights his hair," Kurt says. "What was I supposed to think?"

"The fact that he's only dated girls didn't clue you in?" Blaine teases.

"In all fairness I'd just met him," Kurt defends. "And you know… those lips."

Blaine laughs again and then sighs. "I know. He's always asking to borrow lip balm. It's… distracting."

"Blaine, is there something you need to tell me?" Kurt is teasing now. It's nice to talk to Blaine about cute boys and crushes and not feel any pressure to apologize. As _friends_ they can do that.

"Uh, no… Like you said, he has nice lips. That's all. And anyway, we're just friends… bros."

"Bros?" The word mostly brings back pleasant memories, but does it mean something if Blaine just used it about Sam? He was sure Santana said Brittany and Sam are still together.

"Yeah," Blaine says.

"I'm starting to get concerned about your increasingly frequent use of that term," Kurt says, cringing at the sound of his own nervous laughter. "I think you've been hanging around Sam too much."

"I thought you love it when I talk fratty." Blaine sounds nervous too. That can't be good.

"In the heat of the moment, yes," Kurt says. "But otherwise it's just creepy. It's like Puck talking about Broadway or Finn dancing well. Completely unnatural."

"I'll take that under advisement."

Kurt smiles. "Or Tina talking about your ass."

"She's apologized," Blaine says. "Repeatedly."

"It's still creepy," he says, trailing off into a yawn. "Can you imagine if you'd been all over Sam like that?"

"You should get some sleep," Blaine says. And it's so typically Blaine, Kurt wants to tell him he can take care of himself, but he suddenly realizes how exhausted he is from trying to convince Santana not to tell Rachel about Brody.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he concedes. "Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Goodnight Kurt."

Kurt wonders if he's imagining the wistful tone in Blaine's voice. It brings him back to whenever they could manage to get some time alone and spend the night in the same bed. Blaine would always wish him a goodnight and kiss the top of his head as he wrapped his arm around Kurt, letting him cuddle in tight to his chest and listen to Blaine's accelerated heartbeat. He misses that.

"Goodnight," he says, fighting the sudden urge to tell Blaine he misses him. They're still just friends, and he's sort of dating Adam. And anyway, he's got Bruce.

Before he even hangs up the phone, Kurt plans to pull the pillow out of his trunk. He'll worry about the reasons why tomorrow.


	6. The One That's Just So

**The One That's Just So**

**Summary:** Kurt answers Blaine's phone calls. Reaction to 4x18 "Shooting Star" and 4x19 "Sweet Dreams."

* * *

"So Sam thinks he has an Aussie twin."

"So Finn's rooming with Puck.

"So Marley wrote an original song."

"So Rachel got a callback for 'Funny Girl.' "

It's how they start conversations these days, a clipped back and forth that's come to define their relationship since the shooting, like there's an underlying tension that neither of them wants to acknowledge.

"I'm worried about him."

"I'm happy for her."

"I miss you."

They exchange text messages laden with unspoken meaning, and sometimes the occasional direct, to-the-point ones. But somehow Kurt can't bring himself to face any of it head on, not completely anyway.

He thinks it might have been the way Blaine's voice sounded shaky and small when he called him that night that triggered it. He'd never heard Blaine sound so young or so scared, and it terrified him.

It's okay, though, because it's normal to be worried about your friends. He had asked if Tina and Sam were okay, and he'd laughed appropriately when Blaine recounted how Artie had wanted them to film messages to their loved ones. Because, as Blaine had said, it was so typically Artie.

He didn't ask Blaine what he had recorded, figuring it was personal, and if Blaine wanted him to know, he'd tell him. Kurt's not ready to know the answer. So he doesn't ask.

Quite frankly, Kurt doesn't know what he'd do or say if he had been in that situation — if he had feared for his life and didn't know if he'd ever speak to Blaine again. He tries not to think about it; it's too much.

He wants to tell him he still loves him — and that maybe it's even more than he did before — but he can't. The words catch in his throat.

However, Kurt has been far more attentive to Blaine's calls and texts lately. He can't help it. Nearly losing your best friend has that effect on you, he reasons.

And that's why, when his phone rings at 11:27 on a Tuesday morning, Kurt answers without question, even though he'll probably be late for class. Because it's Blaine.

"So I think Becky knows something about what happened with Sue."


	7. The One That's Acoustic

**The One That's Acoustic**

**Summary:** Kurt takes a deep breath. Reaction to 4x20 "Lights Out"

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait," Kurt says, laughing through his words, "they were doing _acoustic_ songs and no one thought to ask you to sing?"

"Ridiculous right?"

"They do know you were the lead singer of an a cappella group?"

"I guess they forgot," Blaine replies.

"The same a cappella group that tried to reclaim you earlier this year and stole New Directions' nationals trophy."

"There was a lot going on."

Kurt can practically hear the shrug in Blaine's voice.

"Blaine."

"I'm fine, Kurt… really."

Maybe Kurt's been a little more overprotective since the shooting, but now with the blackout at the school and Blaine running around trying to figure out what happened with Sue, well, Kurt just wants to be sure that he's taking care of himself; that he's speaking up when he needs to. Blaine seems downright distracted, and it has him worried.

"You know you have to _make_ Mr. Schue listen sometimes. He'll let you flounder in the back of the room if-"

"Kurt, really… it's fine. I just wanted to let everyone do their thing. I've done all that stuff."

"True."

"And so have you," Blaine says.

He pauses and Kurt can tell Blaine is reminiscing.

"Do you remember the time I suggested we use pre-recorded music at rehearsal?"

"And Wes nearly broke the gavel."

"He was so pissed."

It feels strange to be finishing each other's sentences again. When had they stopped doing that? When had they started again?

"I miss you," Blaine says suddenly.

"I miss you too."

Kurt wants to tell Blaine he's coming back to Lima to see his dad in a couple weeks, but for some reason, the words won't form.

"So tell me about the benefit," Blaine says, the exuberance clear in his voice. "Did you get to meet anyone famous?"

"Blaine, I was there as a professional," Kurt insists, even though he is dying to tell Blaine how Taylor Swift tripped over her gown and took out an entire table of swag bags.

"Did Santana quit the cage dancing job?"

"Not yet, but she's taking extension classes at NYADA."

"I'll have to tell Tina. She's been getting all high and mighty about it, like it's oh so easy to just figure out your dreams."

Kurt considers Blaine's words for a moment. He and Rachel had been pretty tough on Santana, but he knew she needed the push. She is a lot like him in that way, but doesn't have someone like Blaine to shove her in the right direction. To give her that last little push out of the nest.

"Do you know what your dream is?" he asks.

"We've talked about it," Blaine says, sounding confused.

They had — they'd spent hours discussing their New York plans together — but Kurt can't help but wonder. Lots of things have changed between them since then. In fact, sometimes Blaine seems an entirely different person.

"I just realized you hadn't mentioned New York since Christmas, and I didn't know if things had changed. I mean, you're talking to a guy who was considering Juilliard up until Ms. Pillsbury told me they didn't have a musical theatre program."

"I'm _still_ mocking you for that one."

"Hey, it's a very prestigious school, and 'Fame' was deceptively theatrical."

Blaine laughs and it feels like a warm blanket being draped over his shoulders. He wonders if it will always feel like that.

"Well you figured it all out anyway, and still managed to get into NYADA."

"I can't help but overcome," Kurt says, in his own self-deprecating, yet confident way.

"You've more than overcome, Kurt."

"I'm getting there," he says. Kurt knows he is far from successful, but he also knows his life is starting to become the glamorous New York dream he has always wanted. Almost. "But what about you? Your dreams still the same?"

Blaine goes silent for a moment and then inhales like he's ready to speak.

"Oh crap, that's Sam," he says suddenly. "We're supposed to discuss 'Operation Xylophone.' I gotta go, but I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay," Kurt says, feeling confused as Blaine says his goodbye and hangs up.

He can't help but feel like he has missed something. Some clue as to why Blaine is dodging such a simple question. Maybe Blaine has changed his mind about New York and doesn't want to tell him.

Kurt twists the string from his tea bag around his finger and watches as the tip of it goes white from the pressure and then a bright red before deepening into purple. It's something he does when he's deep in thought: fidgeting with his hands, pulling on his fingers, picking at things. His dad says it reminds him of Kurt's mom whenever she was thinking through something heavy, and right now that's just what Kurt is doing.

Everything is so confusing.

He's torn between wanting Blaine to follow his dreams and also wanting his best friend in New York with him. Maybe he should tell Blaine that. It occurs to him that maybe Blaine isn't sure what _Kurt_ wants. The problem is that Kurt isn't sure what he wants. Is he ready for Blaine in his life full-time again? Is he ready for him _not_ to be?

Kurt sighs and starts to untwist the string from his index finger. His phone pings from the table while he's tossing the tea bag in the trash.

It's a text from Blaine.

"For the record, I still want to come to New York," it says.

Kurt smiles at the screen, realizing in a sudden rush that he's relieved. He wants Blaine in his life – can't imagine it any other way. He's glad he won't have to.

He swipes his thumb over the screen to type out a reply, but another text comes through before he has the chance.

"I'll tell you about my other dream next time I see you."


	8. The One Where Everything Changes

**The One Where Everything Changes (and Some Things Never Change)**

**Summary:** Kurt exhales. Reaction to 4x21 Wonder-ful"

* * *

That first week home seems to fly by. Kurt spends his time hanging out in the choir room and at the Lima Bean, acting as if nothing is out of the ordinary. But the truth is, everything has changed. Then again, everything is the same.

He shuffles the sugar packets, vaguely registering the conversation around him, but he can't stop thinking about his dad. What if the cancer has spread? What if he's still sick? What if he….?

The rustle of the thick paper of the sugar packets soothes his nerves. He organizes them in neat rows and lines up their edges. When they're all facing the same direction, he begins to notice bits and pieces of Mercedes' voice seeping back in. He looks up and sees Blaine's deep, amber eyes. There is concern there but no judgment.

It hurts.

Why does it hurt?

* * *

For the past eight months, it's felt weird not to have Kurt back in the choir room, but it feels even stranger to have him here but just out of reach.

Kurt is happy about his father's clean bill of health and that makes Blaine happy, but it's still not quite right. There's something missing. Something true.

Blaine smiles as Kurt sings to his dad, and it hits him. He wants to be a part of that family. He craves it in a way he'd only just sort of felt on the periphery until now. He wants to call Burt dad, and say, "this is Finn, my brother-in-law." And now he can. Well once he moves to New York, but that's just geography.

He looks at Kurt and smiles — this beautiful boy of his who's become a man while he was gone — and his heart aches. It aches because Kurt is smiling easily. His anxiety from earlier in the week has begun to fade away. He's Kurt again.

Blaine glances at Burt and _knows_. He has to ask.

It's time.

Why does it hurt?

* * *

Blaine grabs Kurt's arm and leads him down to their hallway. There's not a marker or anything to prove that it's theirs — even the bulletin board's contents change every month — but a lot has happened there. So Kurt's always come to think of it as that.

Besides, it's sure beats the "locker where Karofsky bruised my shoulder" or the "bathroom sink I used to get the slushy out of my hair."

Blaine looks so nervous. He's practically shaking, and Kurt wonders what it could be that has him so riled up, and then it hits him.

He's seen that look on Blaine's face before.

* * *

Blaine takes a deep breath. He wants to ask him. He has to ask him. Kurt's face is all excitement and anticipation. He can do this.

He remembers how just a little over a year ago they stood in this exact spot and Kurt thought he was giving him an engagement ring.

Kurt will say yes, he thinks. He'll say yes and we'll get married and it will be perfect. But then it hits him. He's standing in front of Kurt at the end of _their_ hallway, and it just becomes too much.

What if he says no?

* * *

Kurt inhales, unsure if he heard Blaine correctly.

Regionals? Really? Is that all?

Blaine smiles expectantly. There's something he's not saying, but Kurt lets it go. He threads his arm through Blaine's and smiles back at him.

"A wonderful, wonderful week," he says.

"With you in it, a wonderful life."

Kurt exhales. It's enough for now.


	9. The One with Icing on the Cake

**Just Friends - The One with Icing on the Cake **

**Summary:** Kurt and Blaine sort through some things. Reaction to 4x22 - "All or Nothing"

* * *

"So I was thinking," Blaine says. "We should have dinner tonight."

Kurt is sitting on Blaine's bed, idly flipping through Blaine's iTunes catalog. Blaine had called Kurt asking him to help him practice for regionals, but so far all he's done is fidgeted and reorganized his bow tie collection while rambling on to Kurt about the difference between federal and state law. Kurt didn't even know Blaine was taking civics this semester.

"Unless you have plans..." Blaine adds, looking up from a sea of Brooks Brothers-branded silk.

"Mercedes mentioned something about maybe seeing a movie, but I think Carole's working a late shift, so my dad is taking her dinner. I should be able to swing it."

Blaine smiles and goes back to his bow ties. He's organizing them by color now, but Kurt still thinks they should be organized by season. He resists the urge to say so because Blaine is positively beaming. Something's up.

"Just as friends?" he asks, prodding a little. He's curious about Blaine's intentions because last week Kurt had been certain Blaine was going to ask him if they could start dating again, but then he'd backtracked and gotten weird. It's been a little strained ever since, and Kurt's sick and tired of the back and forth.

Blaine freezes for a second and then starts shuffling two different red-striped ties between his hands like he's deciding how to classify them.

"Of course," he says a little too brightly. "Obviously as just friends."

Blaine's looking up at him hopefully, his expression at odds with his words like it so often is these days.

Kurt's not sure what he wants, but he really wishes Blaine would get on with whatever grand scheme he has brewing. It's stressing Kurt out to be in this nebulous in-between with Blaine. Either they're friends or lovers. They can't be both.

Why can't either of them seem to make up their minds?

"I'd put the one in your left hand with the white ones, and the other one with black," Kurt says, pointing at the ties.

"Oh, thanks," Blaine says, dropping them each in their respective piles. "So, dinner?" He doesn't look up before adding, "as friends."

Kurt sighs. Blaine's still acting weird.

"Yeah, sure," he says with a shrug. "Why not?"

"Good. I have some friends I want you to meet."

"Friends?"

Blaine nods without making eye contact. "Yeah, I thought we could go as a group. It'll be fun."

Kurt studies him for a moment as he sorts blue ties with blue ties, grey ties with grey ones, and then gives that ridiculous pink one its own pile. As the piles grow, he wonders why Blaine is so careful to keep categorizing them as "just friends." Wasn't he the one who said they were destined to be together, no matter what? Why is he so adamant about it now?

Then Blaine picks up the bow tie he wore when they filmed Artie's Christmas special, and they both smile.

"I like that one," Kurt says.

"Me too."

* * *

"I thought you said we were going as friends," Kurt asks when he sees Blaine outside Breadstix in a jacket and tie. It also doesn't escape his attention that it's practically a Dalton uniform with a different color scheme. The ensemble doesn't fit with the mood of the evening. Kurt is dressed in jeans, for crying out loud.

"We are."

"Then why are you so dressed up?"

"Am I?"

"When I left your house, you were wearing a polo and jeans."

Blaine's eyes are wide with feigned innocence that causes Kurt to roll his eyes.

"Fine don't tell me," he says. "So who are we meeting for dinner anyway?"

"You'll see."

"Blaine!" A tiny woman with white hair is waving them over and bouncing in her seat in a childlike way that's at odds with her age. It reminds Kurt of Blaine a little. She's seated with another woman about her age who looks to be much taller and far more serious. Kurt instantly likes them both.

"You must be Kurt," the shorter woman says. "I'm Jan, and this is my partner, Liz."

"Hi," Kurt says, letting Blaine have the inside seat like he always does.

"Hi Liz," Blaine says. "Nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you."

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the waitress asks as soon as they're seated.

"Coffee," Blaine says.

"Water," Kurt says.

He glances to his right, but Blaine's eyes are glued to the couple across the table from them, his expression hopeful and kind of weird, if Kurt's being blunt about it. He looks anxious and on edge in a way that makes Kurt really uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" he whispers while the waitress takes the ladies' drink orders.

"Yeah, fine," Blaine says, his smile just a little too bright as he turns back to Jan and Liz.

"So Blaine here tells me that you were the first out gay kid at your high school," Jan prompts.

Kurt tries to ignore the frequent looks he keeps getting from Blaine throughout dinner. The whole experience just feels like a PSA for gay issues. When did Blaine become so interested in all this. It's weird. _Blaine's_ weird.

There's finally a lull in the conversation when the waitress brings their dessert - one slice of cake with four forks, which is also weird because he and Blaine usually get two different kinds of dessert and share - and Kurt realizes he has no clue how Blaine knows these women.

"So how did you guys meet?" Kurt asks, glancing from Jan to Blaine hoping for an easy answer.

Instead Jan launches into this long story about her and Liz — and Styx (whoever they are) — and how they went to prom, and moved in together, and then broke up and got back together, and he can feel Blaine's eyes on him practically the whole time. But Kurt refuses to look over because if he does, he's going to break. This isn't the time. Not here, he thinks.

Kurt hopes his body language tells Blaine to just let them have dinner with these nice ladies and they can talk later. He knows it's coming, but he wills it away for a little while longer.

But then suddenly Jan is on her knee right there in the restaurant, and it's the cutest thing he's ever seen, and all the weirdness — Blaine's behavior, the awkward discussion about LGBT history, all of it — is forgotten in that joyous moment.

Kurt gets caught up in it and joins in the applause around the restaurant. But when he glances at Blaine, he just looks disappointed. Kurt hates seeing him that way.

Someday, he thinks, trying to reassure Blaine with a smile.

We'll both get our chance some day.


End file.
